And they’re not unfounded. It’s true that Abrams had to rush out a cast announcement ahead of May 4 – which is known by many as Star Wars day (may the Fourth be with you, etc). And that throws up many questions; could everyone make the read-through that day? Is the casting process completely finished? Were some people written out when Abrams and “Empire Strikes Back” writer Lawrence Kasdan retooled the script?

One person conspicuous by her absence was Maisie Richardson-Sellers, who was widely tipped to play a major role despite her relative anonymity in the acting world.

“‘Star Wars: Episode VII’ will surely lead to a sequel, so it's possible that Abrams could introduce new characters in the final reel that will play a bigger part in future films. Those roles may not be filled yet, or the actors in line for those roles may not have been required to participate in Tuesday's table read,” report The Wrap.

Upon announcing the cast, director Jj Abrams said: "We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again." Episode VII will be recorded at Pinewood Studios near London in May ahead of a December 18, 2015 release.